


Farewell Warchief

by Chococat_For_Overlord_of_Earth



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Afterlife, Barely even legion, Character Death, Cute, Death, Demons, Friendship/Love, Gay, Legion sucks, Love, M/M, Mushy, Rennyn, Sad, Tragedy, Trolls, VOL'JIN - Freeform, Vol'jinXRennyn, World of Warcraft: Legion, a little sad, tusks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 19:27:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15031625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chococat_For_Overlord_of_Earth/pseuds/Chococat_For_Overlord_of_Earth
Summary: My personal farewell to Vol'jin, reposted to change names





	1. 1

Chapter 1 of 3

The air was cool but humid in the Echo Isles. The sun threatened to break over the hills any moment now. Vol’jin got up from his cot slowly and carefully. His red hair stood up effortlessly. He took one wide tip toe from the bed before a three fingered hand seized his wrist just as he was sure he had gotten away.

Vol’jin sighed internally and shifted his weight towards the bed again. He turned on the best sarcastic tone he could muster, “What can ol’ Vol’jin do for ya?”

A troll poked his head out of the shadows on top of the bed, “Don’ be givin’ me dat. Where ya off to?”

Vol’jin tore his wrist out of the other trolls grip and began to fiddle with clothes and weapons around the hut. “Ya know I have ta be gettin’ to de Org docks ta meet wit Thrall,” he started to get dressed and arm himself with his usual array of weapons.

“Jus’ come back ta bed. Thrall be understandin’ if ya be late,” the troll threw his arms outwards for a satisfying stretch. He overextended his torso and ended up comfortably resting his top half on the floor. 

With his back on the wooden floor panels, and his feet still in the bed, the troll folded his arms. He followed Vol’jin’s every move with his soft brown eyes.

Vol’jin shook his head and sighed out loud, “Ya be spendin’ too much time wit dem night elves, Rennyn.”

The shadow hunter quieted down his tone significantly, mumbling something to himself. The elven name was unfavorable for Vol’jin but he knew the priest refused to go by anything else.

Rennyn fully rolled out of the cot and onto the floor rather ungracefully. He sat up into a cross legged position resting his head onto his fist perched on a knee. 

Rennyn’s face was rather withered and angry looking, displaying kind facial expressions had always been tough. Some of the largest tusks trolls can display sat themselves in a grumpy mouth attached to a bald scalp. His face paint had a big salmon colored splotch on his forehead and a stripe down each side of his large nose. White streaks ran down his cheeks and two more stripes ran along his shapely chin. The thin blue fur he wore was a warm tone on his skin and suited his muscular body well. 

“Dey only be needin’ my help ta pray,” his brown eyes stared into the Warchief’s eyes. 

Vol’jin’s heart melted slightly when Rennyn shot him a mischievous half smile from his sitting position on the floor. Still feeling cross over being slowed down on his way out of the hut his face remained neutral. 

The Warchief sighed wistfully, “Jazahn…” The shadow hunter paused for emphasis, “Much betta fit, don’ ya tink?” Rennyn sat up fully and answered in a very serious tone, “Jazahn be who I was, not who I be now.” 

The priest sighed a loud sigh and let a small silence follow before he added, “De rest o’ de tribe be callin’ me Ja’fon so de elven name be stingin’ less.”

The sun had just started to show over the hills and onto Rennyn’s back. Vol’jin let his eyes wander away from the troll and to his shadow on the floor while he busied himself with donning armor. He watched the shadow move as Rennyn looked around with his head. 

There was a hole of light in an ear of the shadow. Vol’jin looked back to the troll, “Ya always had dat?” Vol’jin gestured to Rennyn with his head. 

There had been a nagging pain all morning but the priest knew why. Rennyn reached up a hand and explored the jagged hole. 

“Ya did dis las’ night,” he did not break eye contact with the Warchief while he continued to prod at his new slightly jagged hole. 

“I did dat?” Vol’jin felt like he would have remembered something like that. “While ya was asleep,” Rennyn stood up, “Let me show ya.” 

The troll walked over to the Warchief and knelt down directly in front of him. Vol’jin looked down at the troll on his knees and felt like this might be going somewhere else. He blushed internally but his expression bore no change. Rennyn grabbed Vol’jin’s tusk and bowed his own head. 

Pulling the tusk gently to the ear hole, he guided it through, “See?” 

Rennyn let go of Vol’jin and the shadow hunter took a step back. Rennyn sat onto his heels, the way all trolls sit comfortably, and eyed Vol’jin. 

The Warchief’s beautiful red beard seemed to glow in the light. His eyes were brighter than his face paint and his tusks were a glorious shade of ivory.

Trying to discern an emotion from him, Rennyn narrowed his eyes a little.

“Ya musta been cravin’ some space. Ya was so aggressive in ya sleep t’rows dat ya tusk wen’ right t’rough me ear.” Vol’jin was a little shocked by the story but was more shocked by the priests callous reaction. It felt even more odd that regeneration hadn’t repaired it yet.

Rennyn continued, “I be keepin’ it… Ta rememba ya by.” Vol’jin’s voice turned upset but he wrangled his emotions well, “How many years we been doing dis? I always come back.” Rennyn nodded, “Dis time be different, an’ ya know it.” 

Vol’jin was fully dressed now although the outfit showed a lot of skin. He shook his head at the sitting troll and headed for the exit. 

“I be comin’ wit’ ya,” Rennyn said to Vol’jin’s back as he got up from the floor. Vol’jin did not bother turning around only stopped his trek, “No. Ya be stayin’ ‘ere. Or ya be stayin’ wit dem night elves. Ya be no fighta, Rennyn.” 

Rennyn wanted nothing more than to embrace his Warchief and keep him there forever, but he knew their relationship was not so outwardly showy. 

At least his words could convey his feeling, “I be a fighta for ya.” Red hair swayed back and forth gracefully as Vol’jin shook his head. He started walking out of the hut again.

Rennyn gathered the courage to speak up quickly and tried one last shout, “Ya be needin’ heala’s.” Vol’jin stopped. He shook his head again, “Not ya.” Vol’jin restarted his trek. 

“Be gettin’ dressed now. I be needin’ all de prayers ya be spittin’,” his voice was fading as he exited the hut and headed towards Orgrimmar.

Rennyn lazily pulled on all his robes, his favorite piece was the hood. It hid his eyes well which is how trolls convey most of their emotions as their faces rest too angry to display anything but.   
The almost black blue tone of the robe was highlighted with a lighter blue detail which matched the hood. Gloves and shoes weren’t anything he bothered himself with.

A tight cloth belt wrapped around his waist over the robes. His cloth shoulders were non existent unless he was headed somewhere important. Even then they were more for decoration and status than pertinent to his work. 

The troll pulled a crystal from a pocket and sat down on the cot. He held the crystal close and mumbled a spell.

A voice emanated from the crystal after a few repeats of the spell, “Rennyn? Is that you? Do you realize how early it is?” 

Rennyn opened his hand holding the crystal but continued to stare out into the jungle plant life, “Yeah Aureyn, it be me.” 

Aureyn sighed, “Ah no, dare I ask why you sound so… sad?” Rennyn sighed, “Vol’jin left me ‘ere wit’out ‘im…” he hung his head low. 

“You realize I’m no expert in troll… rituals? Is that the right word? Because your kind doesn’t really have relationships right?” 

Rennyn stared into the crystal in his hand resting on his lap, “De las’ several years be provin’ demselves…. Difficult. He jus’…” Rennyn let himself trail off and shook his head. 

“He IS a busy guy….” Aureyn wasn’t the most comforting blood elf in the world but their friendship through the years had some warmth to it. 

“Jus’ feelin’ unimportant ta ‘im,” Rennyn finished the statement with a sigh. 

Aureyn replied, “Wait, why are you up so early?” Rennyn smiled a fleeting grin, “Ya mind always be focused on sleep, Aur… Dey be sailin’ out taday.” 

Aureyn blurted some racial curse words as he sounded like he was scrambling to get up, “That’s today?! I’ll meet you at the south inn in Org in an hour!” 

Rennyn inhaled to say something but all sound ceased from the crystal before he could voice anything.

An hour later…

Rennyn had been sitting in a bar stool without saying a word long enough that the innkeeper was starting to worry. 

A dark red haired paladin ran through the door, “Renny!” The troll only looked over his shoulder, barely looking at the blood elf from under his hood. 

Aureyn ran up to the troll and patted his shoulder, “How long you been here?” Aureyn sat down in a stool near him. Rennyn had his arms folded on the bar top and followed Aureyn with his eyes, “Awhile…” 

Aureyn smiled, “I know I’m late but they’re still doing troop checks, if we hurry we can get over there before they’re finished.” 

Rennyn unfolded his arms and turned towards the paladin, “We doin’ what now?” His surprised tone shocked the blood elf but Aureyn shook it off rather quickly, grabbing the troll by the arm and starting to drag him out of the inn towards the Orgrimmar docks.

Aureyn continued to drag the troll through the encampment set up outside the docks. Rennyn dug his heels into the ground, forcing the blood elf to stop and look at him. “Dey won’ be lettin’ me aboard,” Rennyn sounded sure of himself. 

“What do you mean?” Aureyn crinkled his brow at the troll. “Dey ‘ave a registry of de soldiers goin’ aboard…”

Aureyn sighed and dragged the troll behind a tent, “I’m on that registry, you only need to pretend to be me.” Rennyn yanked his arm away from the blood elf, his tone expressing how unhappy he was, “What.” 

Aureyn became annoyed, “You know it’s really hard to talk to the cloth hanging over your eyes…”   
Rennyn pulled his hood back and looked at the blood elf with an angrier expression than usual, “What be tellin’ ya I wan’ ta be on dere?” 

Aureyn put his hands on his hips, “Vol’jin is going on a dangerous mission with all our racial leaders. I know you want to go more than I do.” 

Rennyn’s shoulders sank towards the ground more than usual in an effort to express his exhaustion with the blood elf’s antics. Knowing there was no arguing, the troll gave in, “What need I be doin’?” 

Aureyn smiled again, “Trade me armor.” Rennyn’s mouth gaped and his eyes grew wide, “Trade armor? Ya not be knowin’ if ya plate even fit me!” 

Aureyn raised an eyebrow, “We’re about the same size! Your shoulders are just a little broader than mine… And your feet are… a little bigger than mine. Those things really won’t affect the fit, I promise.” 

Aureyn started to get undressed. Rennyn just stared at the blood elf in shock. Aureyn nudged him with an elbow, “C’mon this’ll work! You want to make sure the Light will protect Vol’jin don’t you?” 

Rennyn hesitated for a moment but then sighed and started to undress too. 

Once both of them were fully dressed in each other’s clothes, Aureyn eyed Rennyn up and down, “Hmm… well… uhhh.. maybe if…” 

Rennyn sighed, “I would tell ya dis plan be ridiculous but….” Aureyn put a hand to his chin for a better idea to form while Rennyn continued, “At least me hood not be a crown of light.” 

Rennyn reached up to touch the outrageous crown. Aureyn poked at Rennyn, tugging on the plate armor, “It’s a halo silly.” 

Rennyn smiled at the blood elf, “No it be feelin’ silly ta touch an’ ta wear.”

“Just a few more adjustments!” After prodding Rennyn for another handful of seconds Aureyn pushed him hard out onto the path to the docks. 

Rennyn wasn’t quite expecting such a push so he fell onto his hands and knees trying to catch himself. “Good luck!” Aureyn whispered excitedly. Rennyn glared at him for a moment before picking himself up.

Rennyn walked up to the docks that were loading the ships full of troops. There was a rather large line and the troll couldn’t believe that people were lining up for such a thing. Then again every member of the Horde seemed more inclined for fighting than Rennyn was. He had always been a member of the Darkspear tribe but strayed in a wide berth. 

A request from Ashenvale early on in his healing career made the troll believe there was more to the spiritual world than head shrinking and cannibalism. He quietly disappeared from the tribe and no one seemed to notice until he came back.

The tribe was always wary of him after he told them his new name so they gave him another new name. Vol’jin respected the priests new views but rather preferred his old ones. After all the Loa abandon those who don’t believe in them, which is why Vol’jin was confident in his support.

From time to time the priest would sarcastically utter a night elf phrase just to be cheeky. “Elune-adore,” Rennyn’s face was stern and serious. The words were much less elegant when they came from a troll.

Vol’jin laughed, “Ya be needin’ Lukou afta I be finished wit’ ya.” The memory was fleeting as the line continued to move towards the boats.

The troll could finally hear the blood elf officer ushering people aboard. Once at the front of the line, Rennyn gave him Aureyn’s name. The officer didn’t even look up from his parchment, just waved the priest through.

The troll looked ahead to see Aureyn harassing some other blood elf. Rennyn walked up to the pair and stared down his nose at the paladin.

The blonde blood elf eyed the troll up and down. “Since when do trolls wear paladin gear?” Rennyn became nervous but before he had a chance to utter the verbal garbage he was about to let out, he shifted his gaze to Aureyn. “Dre, this is my friend,” Aureyn rested a hand on the Drelaeth’s elbow.   
Drelaeth looked at Aureyn with warm eyes, “I suppose that’s your gear he’s wearing?” Aureyn winked at him, “Same reason I needed you to get me on board.” 

Dre sighed and looked back at the troll then back to Aureyn, “If he’s going to be somewhat useful to us, he’ll need his own gear back…” Drelaeth looked at Aureyn expectantly. The red haired blood elf nodded, “Fine but wait until we’re aboard.”

Aureyn waved Rennyn away. The troll walked passed confused but at a fast pace, having had some idea what Aureyn was capable of, but never having witnessed it so closely before.

Rennyn climbed aboard one of the ships and found a corner to wait for Aureyn. A few minutes went by and the paladin slunk into the corner with the troll. 

A few angry whispers and elbow bumps later they were both back in their own gear. The priest was relieved to be back in his own clothes, Aureyn made some snide comments about robes and dresses.   
The pair then returned to the gathering spot on the ship where it looked like everyone was separated into ranged, melee and healers. 

Rennyn stood on the healers side unaware of who anyone else around him was. Aureyn moved to the melee section which was the first to be counted. 

By the time the ship had actually left harbor, Rennyn was already tired from listening to the Orcs prattle on about who was going to get more kills, the first kill or which Forsaken’s arm would fall off first. 

The whole thing felt barbaric but if they were going to deal with the Legion and all its monstrosities, a light sense of Orc humor was probably necessary.

Rennyn shrugged off their hardened attitude for war, and slunk away from the crowds. Aureyn was off flirting with some other blood elves so the priest opted not to interfere. 

Rennyn sat on his heels in a dark corner of the ship. There were a few stragglers hanging around but he ignored them for the most part. 

The troll started to cast mind vision on various people around the ship. Meaningless bets and empty laughter filled his mind but he was looking for something specific. Finally he came across one of Thrall’s stewards watching Thrall and Vol’jin talk. 

Rennyn looked around to figure out which ship this was on. He could see a faint shadow of himself on a corner of a ship in the distance. 

Rennyn stayed in the mind of the female orc for a while longer until something stirred his own body back. The priest looked up startled to see a male troll hovering over him. “How ya be, mon?” 

The generic greeting Rennyn gave most everyone felt stale and flat. From the armor and the lack of glowing eyes, he assumed it was a warrior. 

“Ain’t mind vision be an invasion of certain privacies?”

A frequent question the priest had to answer more often than he’d like, “It be… If ya got somet’ing ta hide.” 

The warrior leaned in real close to Rennyn’s face and inhaled through his nose in a few short bursts. 

After having a few more awkward seconds of silence with their faces nearly touching the warrior finally broke it, “What’cha be spyin’ on de Warchief for?” 

Rennyn stood up fully knowing exactly how to approach the troll but unwilling to threaten such a burly opponent.

The priest needed this warriors help but asking for it was out of the question so he tried a different approach. He flashed his pretty brown eyes a little and turned on his deepest voice, “Wan’ some o' ma... jungle love?” 

The warrior smiled a wicked grin and unsheathed his axe, “Oh I’m gonna enjoy hurtin’ you.”

Rennyn turned to face his back the direction he thought the ship containing Vol’jin was. 

The warrior swung a few times but Rennyn blocked with forearms coated in light. Having had training with his best pally friend, the troll learned to shield and block some basic attacks using discipline. 

Special attacks were not anything he knew how to handle but that was alright since that’s all he was waiting for. 

He saw the makings of Colossus Smash being formed and he shielded himself with his quickest, best prayer. 

The priest went flying up and over the edge of the boat. As he winced from the pain of the hit, he managed to cast levitate on himself. Rennyn looked upwards as endless sky and clouds flew over him. His back landed on a pocket of air above another boat. 

Rennyn sat up rather clumsily in mid air. He looked around to see exactly the boat he sought. His heart fluttered with excitement when his eyes met Vol’jin’s. 

Wood splitting sounds made his heart skip a beat. Jumpy fright made Rennyn’s levitate wear off as he experienced the earthquake that followed the crashing. 

The priest was on his backside but turned quickly to see the warrior he just antagonized recovering from a heroic leap. 

Rennyn felt like he was as tall as a kobold as this warrior towered over him seemingly larger than a building. The warrior raised the weapon above his head ready to bring it down through the priests skull. 

Rennyn watched in horror with eyes wide from under his hood. An arrow pierced one of the warriors thumbs and before he had a chance to rebalance the weapon in his other hand, another arrow went through that thumb ball joint as well. 

The warrior dropped the axe promptly and Rennyn slunk to the side to avoid the falling weapon.

The warrior didn’t cry out in pain just looked over to see where the arrows had come from. 

Vol’jin was already walking up to the warrior, “Have one ’a Baine’s shamans look at dat would ya? Don’ wan’ ta be t’umbless, waitin’ for dem ta grow back before de real fightin’ begins, do ya?”   
The warrior walked away after nodding and Vol’jin turned his attention towards the priest. He reached a hand down to help Rennyn to his feet. 

The priest obliged then Vol’jin waved for the priest to follow. 

Rennyn followed his Warchief to a small empty barracks room. Through his embarrassment, Rennyn hoped Vol’jin would never stop walking so that he could just follow him forever instead of explaining what just happened.

“I be tinkin’ I told ya ta stay home.” The shadow hunter sounded more annoyed than disappointed.   
Rennyn was staring at the ground, hiding his whole face with his hood, “Ya did.” 

Vol’jin sighed, “Den why ya be ‘ere?” Rennyn started to feel angry as he searched his thoughts for an answer. 

He didn’t understand why he wasn’t welcome to come along. He was a useful and experienced healer, why couldn’t he help the Horde against the Legion?

Rennyn’s head barely lifted and his burning eyes remained focused on the floor, “I can help da Horde… an’ o’ course... You.” Vol’jin’s response was calm, “Don’ lie ta me or yaself. Ya not be here for da Horde, ya be here ta watch me.” 

Rennyn pleaded, “Ya don’ understand, I been granted a vision ‘bout chya an’ dis… excursion.”

Vol’jin lifted Rennyn’s head with a hand under the chin. His hand grazed the priests cheek as it moved to the hood. With the help of a careful hand, the hood gently slid off Rennyn’s head and he tried as long as he could to avert his eyes away from Vol’jin. 

Another handful of seconds flew by as the priest relished every moment he could spend with the shadow hunter albeit in strange silence. Rennyn couldn’t wait any longer to look in those beautiful eyes and explain himself. 

The Warchief smiled a sarcastic smile and looked expectantly at the priest. Rennyn lowered his voice to a whisper, “Please, ya not comin’ back from dis one. I be beggin’ ya to come back home wit’ me. Don’ be leavin’ me in dis Horde mess wit’out chya…” 

Vol’jin put his hand on the priests shoulder in a caring manner. It felt like a conversation they had dozens of times and it was starting to get old but before it was paranoia and now it was certainty driving the priest. 

“Ya not be disobeyin’ orders from ya Warchief eh?” 

Rennyn didn’t quite understand the words at first but he looked deep into Vol’jin’s eyes as his whole face locked up into a neutral position. 

The Warchief’s grip tightened on Rennyn’s shoulder and he started to drag him out to the Port side of the ship, “I’ll be hearin’ no more of ya overprotective nonsense.” 

Rennyn was still voicing his concerns but refused to fight back against the Warchief. Vol’jin threw the priests dead weight over the side of the boat.

The Warchief was always in control of his emotions and never had the priest seen outbursts like this one. The shadow hunter was awfully calm, his words bore no anger but his actions did.

Rennyn resurfaced immediately but wished he hadn’t when he saw Vol’jin’s back walking away from the side of the ship. 

The priest watched the shadow hunters back for a moment longer in disbelief. The wake of the ship pushed Rennyn into the path of another. 

The ship made a horrendous thump sound when it struck the troll. His body resurfaced on the side of the ship that hit him and an Orc plunged a hand into the waters. 

After pulling up the trolls limp body the Orc started to cheer and the rest of the group did as well. Once Rennyn started coughing up water the cheers subsided into disappointment. 

The priest remained on that ship for the rest of the trip, with ever increasing anxiety.

The sky turning into a swirling purple, black and green mess of clouds made his stomach sink but not any more than knowing Vol’jin would be upset with him in his dying hour did. 

Once the ship hit the land hard, everyone started to disembark the vessel any which way they pleased. 

Rennyn was caught in the middle of a crowd and got carried off the ship against his will. Racial leader shouting and demons emerging from swirling green portals of light was all that filled the priests senses. He wasn’t sure which way was up or down, the sounds of fighting continued no matter what he did. 

Getting dragged around with the crowd was effortless, he didn’t seem to be in control of his own body, instincts just took over and he obeyed mindlessly.

A hand grabbed the priests collar and spit landed on his face as someone shouted at him. He couldn’t hear the words, only looked at the blood elf’s face. He whimpered out loud softly, “Aureyn?”

The paladin nodded, “Shindu fallah nah! (They’re breaking through!)” Aureyn practically threw Rennyn’s weight back into the crowds. 

Vol’jin’s voice stirred the priest back in control. Rennyn started to look through the crowds. He tried desperately to find the Warchief, whispering prayers as he pushed through struggling bodies. 

Suddenly he heard Sylvanas’ voice, “Warchief!” 

Visions weren’t always exactly what the priest thought they would be when he actually witnessed them come to life but this one was accurate in his feelings. 

Helplessness was the first emotion to set in as Rennyn watched Vol’jin’s torso be pierced by a fel blade. Things started to move in slow motion as he gazed at the shadow hunter. 

Vol’jin looked like he was made of stone as his arms moved slowly to off the demon that just stabbed him. His body fell to the ground for what felt like ages. 

Rennyn was sure an eternity had passed as horror was the next emotion to set in. 

As the shadow hunters body hit ground, a tusk broke and he was still. Despair and sorrow quickly set in, followed by loneliness.

Emotions that he felt so strongly in his vision before were now crippling as he tried to make sense of the events unfolding. 

He can’t be dead… The troll remained still, his body unresponsive under the surge of feeling everything. 

The Warchief’s body lay on the ground for eons but the priest couldn’t tear his eyes away, still motionless. Rennyn was in utter disbelief as the Dark Lady whisked Vol’jin’s body away. 

The troll still didn’t want to believe it. He argued with himself, trying to bargain some truth for his sanity. 

Everyone started to fall back. The trek back to the ships was the most painful sprint of the priests life. 

Forcing his body to move when his heart was so heavy with grief was almost impossible. A familiar hand helped drag the priest along.

No one seemed to be lost in terror but none of them seemed motivated to get back either. The taste of the Legions strength became a reality no one wanted to believe. 

Morality was crushed and replaced by complacency. The rest of the journey home Rennyn’s mind was stuck between replaying the moment over and over and praying to the Loa and the Light. His body was limp and only a vessel for grieving. Time did not feel real.

Later outside Grommash Hold in Org…

Rennyn was arguing with some guards outside the Org throne room rather loudly. A familiar blood elf voice called to him, “Rennyn? What’s happening?” 

Rennyn backed off of the guards and huffed, “Vol’jin be dyin’ an’ dese mindless Orc soldiers won’ let me in.” Aureyn was just as clueless as ever, “Dying? You said he died in your vision on the Broken Shore.” 

Rennyn stared at the blood elf with a crinkled brow and angry eyes, completely silent. “Okay okay so he’s dying and they won’t let you see him? Understandable.” 

The troll snarled, “Undastandable?!” Aureyn was still cold, “Yeah! I mean you’re just a priest. I’m sure they’ve got royal healers or something in there taking care of him.”

Rennyn folded his arms to stare at the paladin with an even angrier face but something caught his eye. 

Dark red-purple clothes and a set of red eyes were staring at the troll as they walked closer and closer. Aureyn turned to see what had diverted the trolls attention, “Sylvanas…” 

Aureyn whispered under his breath, “She’s more beautiful than the last time I saw her…” Rennyn did a double take to give Aureyn the appropriate amount of ‘what in the hell are you thinking’ face.

Sylvanas walked right into the throne room as the guards turned from Rennyn and waved her in after they bowed. 

“Ah! Don’ be lettin’ Darkspear blood in ta see me chief, but ya’ll let de Foul Harlot in?” The guards turned back towards the troll and one of them whacked Rennyn over the head with a shield.

Rennyn staggered a bit but managed to spit some cursory troll words. The troll reeled with a smite spell forming in his fist but Aureyn got a hold of him and started to push him away. 

The priest was still figuratively beating his chest and shouting insults at the guards. “Please Rennyn… Let it go,” Aureyn rarely begged the troll for anything but he sounded desperate to save himself more embarrassment. 

“I understand you’re grieving but this…” The blood elf trailed off when Rennyn stopped fighting him and they exchanged very different looks. 

Aureyn was worried and sympathetic but the priest retorted while throwing his arms into the air in a careless manner, “I be done grievin’. I be infuriated now.” 

Rennyn walked passed the blood elf hitting Auryen’s shoulder with his own as he passed. The paladin followed the troll. 

A little later…

“C’mon Renny, we gotta get to the memorial.” The blood elf nudged the troll who had his head on the bar top fully unresponsive. 

Aureyn pushed him lightly and Rennyn jolted up with a snort. The blood elf grabbed the priests arm and heaved it across his shoulders to bear some of the weight as he lead the incoherent troll out of the inn. 

Rennyn shrugged the paladin away once he was fully awake and walked himself the rest of the way with a significant lack of grace. 

Night had fallen but the air was still warm, not a cloud in the sky. Sylvanas stood on a platform with Nathanos facing the crowd that gathered. 

Aureyn ushered the upset troll to the back of the crowd, having a feeling it would be the best spot to control the outbursts of anger that were soon to follow. 

“Vol’jin is dead. Who among you will help me avenge him?” Sylvanas sounded almost happy at the events. 

Nathanos definitely looked giddy for such an ordinarily grim face. The crowd started cheering including the blood elf pally sitting next to a quiet troll. 

“Short and sweet I like it,” Aureyn patted Rennyn on the back gently. His head was hung low but his eyes looked up at the pally, “Dat wretch… She too much like Garrosh…” His bloodshot eyes were barely visible to the blood elf. 

Aureyn sighed, “But didn’t the Loa tell Vol’jin to pass his responsibilities to her?” 

Rennyn replied sourly, “I don’ know deir plan, but I know… a Forsaken Horde, be a Horde I wan’ no part of.” 

They remained seated for awhile longer, Aureyn not wanting to upset the priest further sat in silence.

The crowd started to dissipate and Aureyn nudged Rennyn forward, “Pay your respects. It’s what he would want.” 

The priest was as sour as ever, “What he would wan’ be a ritual so his spirit be makin’ it to Bwonsamdi unhindered, but ‘ere we be, watchin’ his spirit becomin’ adrift.”

Aureyn nudged the troll again without another word and walked him to the edge of the platform with the stairs leading up to the burning corpse. 

The pally tried to push him up the platform but was growled at, “Jus’ leave me ‘ere.” Aureyn sighed and shook his head, “Well alright…” 

Aureyn hesitated but eventually walked away, glancing back at the priest until he was out of sight.

Rennyn stood there for another while just waiting for the courage to build up to go see his dead Warchief. 

He couldn’t be dead. It wasn’t possible. Ages felt like they passed with all the memories of the shadow hunter filling his mind but suddenly he felt an unwelcome gaze on him.

“You were… special to him?” Sylvanas’ heartless voice stung and ached as if she had stabbed the priest. 

The troll refused to grant the Banshee Queen any pleasure from his reaction so he stayed completely motionless and neutral. 

“I wasn’t aware he bent that way…” her sarcastic tone continued to grate on Rennyn’s nerves but she continued, “Will you help me avenge him in this fight against the Legion?”

The priest remained silent but felt the Dark Lady still staring at him awaiting an answer.

The light of the funeral fire playing on his thin layer of fur and dancing with the shadows illuminated only parts of his face. He spoke into the nothingness he was staring into, “He was patient an’ fierce ‘cause his heart still beat. He welcomed diversity where ya reign depends on one t’ing; death. Ya heart be as black as Garrosh’s an’ ya be no Warchief of mine.” 

Sylvanas smiled. 

Rennyn lifted his head and their eyes met for a short moment. 

“You must have thought you were more special to him than you actually were. Missing his last moments? Quite sad,” her smile grew as she waited for the gratification she sought from the pain of her words on the trolls face. 

Rennyn’s face remained the angry neutral it usually was, “Den ya not be needin’ me to fight de Legion. Deir numbas won’ madda. Dey’ll be crushed unda de tremendous weight an’ size of ya gigantic ego.” 

Rennyn turned away and started to walk towards Orgrimmar. “You dare desert the Horde?”

The priest thought she sounded angry for the first time he’d ever heard. Rennyn stopped his trek for a moment only turning his head to look at the Dark Lady with one eye.


	2. 2

Chapter 2 of 3

Vol’jin jolted up from his body. Lor’themar and Baine continued to haul out his body with respect and careful hands. The shadow hunter stood there, watching.

It certainly looked like Grommash Hold but the troll knew better. A dark hue clung to every inch of space and made all the shadows come to life. The longer he focused on objects the less they seemed to remain still.

Soft giggling called his attention to the throne. He whirled around to see an all too familiar face. Yellow glowing eyes attached to a pale white face with upwards pointing tusks. 

Black face paint covered his chin and most of his forehead. He was sitting on his heels with the balls of his feet on top of the cushion, no part of him touching the back rest.

“Ya ‘ere ta take me ta de udda side?” Bwonsamdi shook his head and bore a wicked grin.

“No.” The loa stared at Vol’jin with an intensity that felt strange. His smile faded and his glowing eyes became stern.

“Whatchya mean ‘no’?” Even as a spirit Vol’jin kept his composure. No anger, no fear.

“I be ‘ere ta watch ya drift t’rough dis realm between realms.” The death god reflected the shadow hunters lack of emotions.

“Drift?” Bwonsamdi’s posture became exhausted. After a head tilt and a fair amount of time he snorted lightly.

“Son o’ Sen’jin be needin’ help ta undastan’ why his incomplete body anchorin’ ‘im ‘ere?” He giggled again.

Vol’jin’s transparent hand reached up to his tusks. He hadn’t even notice one them break during his fall but now it was a painful truth. Feeling the jagged edge of his right phantom tusk, he thought of a remedy.

The shadow hunter ran out of the throne room. Orgrimmar was a disturbing place in this strange line between worlds. 

Random spirits wandered through the city. None of them were whole, too twisted by the amount of time they had obviously spent wandering this realm. 

Shadows came to life and died down just as quick. The place never remained still. 

“Dey could be you…” Bwonsamdi hovered near Vol’jin and leaned his head over his shoulder just to emphasize the statement. 

The shadow hunter waved a hand in a shooing manner. He could see echoes of people living their lives in the city but they were more intangible than the fragments of things that he avoided. 

Passing through the living spirits was a strange sensation but based on their lack of reaction, he had assumed his spirit didn’t affect them. 

Voices were tough, he could hear only the conversations he focused on but listening did him little good when his voice wouldn’t reach them.

Vol’jin felt a pull from his core. He looked the direction he felt his spirit wanted to go. A faint glowing light came from the inn. 

The shadow hunter walked towards it, the pull starting to feel stronger. As he got up the stairs the light seemed to be coming from a single spirit. Bwonsamdi was still floating very close behind him.

“Ah de priest. He be important ta ya, yes?” Vol’jin nodded idly, remembering how cross he was with Rennyn the last time they saw each other. 

The priest was resting his forehead fully on the bar top, one stool in from the end. His tusks hanging over the edge, hovering in his lap and his shoulders sunk down as far as they would go.

Resting his elbows on his thighs with his hands dangling under his tusks, allowed for a severely graceless position.

With his ears sticking straight up, he listened carefully to the paladin that was babysitting him laugh and flirt with some unfortunate blood elf. Concentrating on controlling his emotions and not falling off the barstool, he remained very still.

Vol’jin walked up to the priest slowly, hesitating a few times. Unsure what he was going to do or say, or even if his presence would make a difference. 

“Whatchya waitin’ for?” Fairy god mother Bwonsamdi was growing impatient. Surely the god of death had better things to do than follow around a former Warchief? 

Finally Vol’jin stood by the priests side. He just stared at the overly distraught, lightly glowing troll unable to find any comforting thoughts. 

“I told ‘im I be comin’ back…” His disheartened stare reigned down on the priest.

“Dat be mistake,” the death god giggled softly, “If ya be off somewhere dangerous, den de best t’ing be ta comfort dose ya care ‘bout.” 

The death gods voice sounded like it was poking fun. He knew what had happened. He just wanted to make the error more painful for the shadow hunter. 

Vol’jin turned his head to give the death god an exhausted glare. His eyes focused on a corner of moving shadows then he looked around the room.

The shadow hunter tried to manipulate the shadows by moving his hands and chanting but they refused to follow his command. His spirit too fel corrupted for them to obey. He turned towards Rennyn again, who hadn’t moved at all. 

Vol’jin rested a ghostly hand on the priests shoulder. Great thought and effort were required to keep his touch light enough not to go through the priest but heavy enough to feel his spirit. 

The gesture felt insincere and cheap but he left it there while he meandered through his memories of the troll.

His hand wandered to the trolls right ear instinctively. Stroking it lightly for a second allowed a good memory to flow.

“Even de spirits be ashamed of ya teasin’…” Rennyn said with a smile as he tried to move his hands to a more strategic spot on the shadow hunter. 

Vol’jin had been rubbing the priests ears, sitting in front of him. The sunlight through the jungle leaves fell beautifully on his face. Other places needed the chieftain so he stood up promptly evading Rennyn’s advancing touch.

“We ain’t got time for sweatin’.” He looked deep into those disappointed eyes with genuine caring and a sarcastic teasing tone that had also laced his words. 

Vol’jin exited the hut. Rennyn shouted after him without getting up for obvious reasons, “Ya makin’ me wanna rip my heart out…”

The shadow hunter started to gently stroke spirit echo Rennyn’s left ear with his other hand. Vol’jin skipped over the hole seemingly unaware it even existed.

Suddenly Rennyn jolted up. His glow flashed into a big apex of light, filling the space and forcing the witnessing spirits to cringe. 

The flash faded quickly and returned to its normal soft glow. The priest looked around, recognizing the light touching sensation in his ears as something he’d only felt around one troll.

“Vol’jin?” Rennyn pleaded into the emptiness of the inn. 

Aureyn heard the desperation in the trolls voice and rushed over with a nervous laugh waving his new friends away. The blood elf put a hand on Rennyn and patted him gently.

Bwonsamdi hovered near Vol’jin effortlessly, watching every facial twinge on the trolls face. 

The shadow hunter wasn’t quite sure what just happened but at least it meant he could affect reality in some small way.

“Try dat again.” Bwonsamdi’s request sounded more like an order. Vol’jin shook his head, “I ‘avta know how dis be helpful before I start abusin’ it.”

After Aureyn had moved away from the priest, Vol’jin moved close again. Rennyn’s lonely demeanor started to bleed into the shadow hunter. He stayed near the priest hoping that his presence would help but for the next few hours, Rennyn seemed inconsolable.

Eventually it was time for the ceremony. The paladin helped the priest out of the inn but was quickly shooed away outside the door. Vol’jin followed them. 

Bwonsamdi was still watching but had perched himself a little farther away. 

The pair went to the back of the crowd. Vol’jin walked up the platform to see an awfully excited Banshee Queen. His body lay on a pyre all wrapped up. 

As the fire lit under his corpse, Vol’jin whimpered, “No…”

It was a strange purple fire from where he viewed it from, but it danced on his mortal flesh all the same.

Bwonsamdi was calm, “Ya fatha be wantin’ ta see ya but… ya trusted ya body ta de wrong family.” He laughed loudly, “Dey know ya be a troll ja? Ahaha!” 

The loa continued to laugh as horror took over Vol’jin’s face. Several minutes went by as the troll just watched his body consumed in flame. Smoke came off in a strange and unnatural pattern.

“Why not be givin’ ya body back ta de Darkspear for a proper ritual?” Bwonsamdi now sounded genuine. The shadow hunter shook his head lightly, unsure of a response. 

The loa’s stinging laughter and harsh gloating over the atheistic cremation of his body was all that filled his worried mind. 

As Sylvanas finished her speech and the cheering ensued, the troll spirit walked to the back of the crowd to find his priest again. 

As he made his way to the faint glow Rennyn emitted the ground began to shake. Reality seemed unfazed but Vol’jin looked around as the quake faded. 

The reality spirits became blurry and things in the distance faded into black. The surrounding area became wavy and unstable.

“De longa ya spend ‘ere, de worse ya connection becomes, de worse ya perception of it becomes.” Bwonsamdi sounded as if he was whispering in the shadow hunters ear but he wasn’t. 

Vol’jin looked to see him resting on a waving boulder nearby. He glanced at the death god and continued towards the glowing light.

The priests spirit was in tact and clear but he could still tell the slightly faceless shape near him was the paladin, Aureyn.

“Short and sweet I like it,” Aureyn’s voice grated on Vol’jin’s nerves although the pat he gave the priest made him jealous he could not do the same. 

Rennyn’s head was hung low and his voice was scratchy, “Dat wretch… She too much like Garrosh…”

Even through the darkness that hung between worlds the shadow hunter could see the despair and loneliness in the priests bloodshot eyes.

“But didn’t the Loa tell Vol’jin to pass his responsibilities to her?” 

Vol’jin nodded at the blood elf for the first time ever, “Somet’ing like dat…” Knowing his voice wasn’t going to be heard he said it almost trying to convince himself. 

“I don’ know deir plan, but I know… a Forsaken Horde, be a Horde I wan’ no part of.” The shadow hunter lurched at the priests words. 

“Ya can’t abandon de Horde! Not now… Ya ‘avta trust me an’ de spirits an’… a-an’ I know it be tough but... ya ‘avta trust Windrunner as well.” His words echoed in the shadowy space but reality took no notice. 

Frustration over his voice going unheard made him try to grab the priests hand.

While Vol’jin could feel his emotions and his spirit, Rennyn’s hand tore away as if nothing was there.

“Pay your respects. It’s what he would want.” Vol’jin listened but couldn’t understand the words, too enveloped in finding a reliable way to reach the priest. 

Rennyn retorted angrily, “What he would wan’ be a ritual so his spirit be makin’ it to Bwonsamdi unhindered, but ‘ere we be, watchin’ his spirit becomin’ adrift.” 

The shadow hunter nodded with sad eyes. He wasn’t about to give up even though the feeling of defeat from his inability to communicate to the priest as well as feeling the priests own sense of defeat was an overwhelming combination. 

Vol’jin followed the pair to the pyre platform passively. The priest forced Aureyn to leave him alone with his sourness. 

Unwilling to accept the rejection of being ignored and seeing Rennyn’s light glow fade, the shadow hunter rested his hand once again on his shoulder. He tried for awhile to make sense of the priests thoughts but his feelings were too powerful to move passed. 

Vol’jin allowed the feelings to flow through him as well. Suddenly the priests thoughts became clear although tangled with emotions.

Vol’jin waded through Rennyn’s memories with him. He saw the first time they were intimate through Rennyn’s eyes. The shadow hunter smiled at how terrified the priest was back then and thought about how far he had come now. 

The memory faded into another and Vol’jin found he was looking at a younger version of himself. He was killing his childhood friend with the help of Bwonsamdi. The feeling of insignificance that was attached to the memory depressed him.

He tried to talk to the memory, “It had to be done, but his death was difficult ta accept an’ ya was dere for me.” 

Nothing changed, an overall sense of anxiousness and dread in the memory lingered, watching everyone gather around Vol’jin.

The memory shifted into a more grim scene. Dark tentacles coming from a night elf girl flowing into Rennyn’s chest. A distant wind chime sound only filled him with more worry. 

Wincing from pain, it was hard to focus on anything else. A grand feeling of relief as Rennyn’s eyes wandered to Vol’jin grabbing the tendrils. His handsomely strong hands drew most of the priests attention.

Another shift turned into Rennyn begging his chieftain not to go to Pandaria to keep on eye on Garrosh.

“It not be doin’ any good! For ya or for de tribe…” Rennyn wasn’t quite on his knees but his voice was almost as desperate as it was for his Warchief not to go to the Broken Shore. 

The priest was holding onto Vol’jin’s hand but the shadow hunter just tore it away. The overwhelming rejection was hurtful and the priests feelings were devastating.

Vol’jin shut his eyes tight and shook his head. He opened them again to say something but the scene had changed. A flashing collection of his own face staring at the priest and smiling. 

Their sarcastic jokes flowed back and forth as they refused to tell each other how they really felt. Finally happiness poured into Vol’jin from Rennyn and then was washed away with a stinging voice. 

“You were… special to him?” Sylvanas’ harsh voice made Vol’jin let go of the priest. Rennyn’s anger radiated from him but he was silent. 

“I wasn’t aware he bent that way…” The shadow hunter watched her eyes as they glowed so brilliantly through the veil between the realms.

“Will you help me avenge him in this fight against the Legion?” The former Warchief turned his gaze to the priest. Watching every facial twinge hidden by the dancing shadows on his face. He didn’t even meet her gaze for his next statement.

“He was patient an’ fierce ‘cause his heart still beat. He welcomed diversity where ya reign depends on one t’ing; death. Ya heart be as black as Garrosh’s an’ ya be no Warchief of mine.”

The smile Sylvanas displayed was cruel and her next words were sure to match. Rennyn lifted his head to finally look the Dark Lady in the eye. 

“You must have thought you were more special to him than you actually were. Missing his last moments? Quite sad.” 

Pain. A sinking jolting horrific pain in the place his heart would be if he wasn’t a spirit already. 

The realization he didn’t say goodbye to his special priest saddened him to a depth he didn’t know existed. He was so busy ensuring things were taken care of before his death.... A mistake made so obvious now.

“De last t’ing I saw was her smug face…” Analyzing his last few moments became more and more painful as he thought about all the things that went wrong in his last day on Azeroth. 

“Den ya not be needin’ me to fight de Legion. Deir numbas won’ madda. Dey’ll be crushed unda de tremendous weight of ya gigantic ego.” 

Rennyn was bitter but Vol’jin couldn’t find any reason he shouldn’t be. His face didn’t change but his words bore an angry tinge and an overall sarcastic tone. 

Rennyn turned away but the shadow hunter could feel the Banshee Queen’s hunger to flex her new power growling.

“You dare desert the Horde?” The priest stopped. Silence ensued and uncertainty started to build in the former Warchief.

Vol’jin couldn’t help but try to diffuse the situation, “No… Rennyn… She’s jus’ lookin’ ta make sure ya ‘av not’ing else so ya’ll follow ‘er. Don’t be lettin’ ‘er sway ya down a false path. If ya jus’ trust me an’ de Loa, I promise dis all be makin’ sense!” He paused, thinking over his next statement. 

Rennyn turned around to face the Dark Lady and the shadow hunter took the opportunity to stand in front of him, hoping it would help his next statement make it to him. 

“It may not always feel like it but ya mean more ta me dan ya know.” It felt good to say it but it felt worse to be ignored after it.

“Meant.” Bwonsamdi’s voice was almost worse than the Dark Lady’s at this point. Vol’jin looked at the death god with angry eyes.

“Ya be dead. Everyt’ing ya felt be in de past.” The loa’s eyes seemed to be emitting a brighter glow.

“Detain that troll!” Sylvanas’ voice echoed through the entirety of the desert. Guards moved towards Rennyn as they unsheathed their weapons. 

The emptiness consuming the priest wouldn’t allow him to show any emotion. He stared at the armed guards approaching with blank bloodshot eyes.

Demons started erupting from the crowds. Horrific horns and growling filled the road just outside Orgrimmar. The guards became distracted and so did the Banshee Queen.

Rennyn stood there for awhile longer, considering his options. 

It be worth helpin’? Maybe Bwonsamdi be kind an’ take me now. Dat way I could see Vol’jin’s face again… His mind wandered to how gorgeous the shadow hunter he loved so dearly was. 

Rennyn smiled.

Suddenly the hole in Rennyn’s ear stung lightly. Allowing memories of Vol’jin from this morning to fill his mind as he explored it with a careful hand. 

“Did ya feel it?” Bwonsamdi sounded exhausted. Vol’jin shook his head as he withdrew his hand from the priests ear. 

“Dyin’ ta be witchya be better den livin’ wit’outchya.” The shadow hunter changed the subject to something more desirable. 

“My tusk. Dats my connection ta him an’ dats how he be freein’ me.” A horrific earthquake noise sounded with no movement in the ground. 

Vol’jin looked around to see the edges of the black had grown closer to him. Bwonsamdi smiled.

“Why ya be enjoyin’ all dis?!” The shadow hunters emotions began to run wild as his mind started to grow weary from battling the strange half world he was in.

“Ya be entertainin’. I ‘avta watch an’ find out whatchya gunna do next. Ya tusk t’eory be an interestin’ one.” The loa was nodding and grinning wickedly all through the statement.

A thought struck Rennyn like lightning and he jolted up. His tusk still be on dat shore…

The priest turned to Orgrimmar and walked through the winding hall entrance. Rennyn approached the inn with a somewhat renewed hope.

The troll grabbed Aureyn’s shoulder and pulled it to face him. 

“His tusk! We be sendin’ ‘im ta Bwonsamdi afta all.” Aureyn’s brow crinkled, “What? We?! I’m in the middle of some—,” He interrupted the blood elf, “If we be retrievin’ it…”

“No. No! Rennyn honestly. Give it a rest! He’s dead, you have to accept that. Also Bwonsamdi? Trolls have ridiculous names but that… that is outrageous.” 

Rennyn shook his head and put his other hand on Aureyn’s shoulder bringing their eyes together for an intense stare, “Please. I be needin’ ya help. I be needin’ de closure of knowin’ I did everyt’ing I could.”

Aureyn looked warily at the troll, “And you’ll let all this go? Tusk or no tusk.” Rennyn nodded slowly. 

The paladin sighed, “Fiiiiiiine. But I am not driving the boat.” The priest grinned wickedly, “I t’ink dere’s a betta way…” The troll exited the inn with the reluctant blood elf in tow.

The pair navigated to the entrance to the cleft of shadows near a few elevators. A narrow path down under Orgrimmar wound itself into some buildings.

“What are we here for…?” Aureyn didn’t care much for the humidity or the darkness.

“A mage.” Rennyn didn’t stop or hesitate. “Tanzado?” Aureyn was dumbfounded. 

Warlocks, rogues and deranged criminals reside in the Cleft of Shadows not an old friend. Rennyn smiled softly to himself as he lead the blood elf farther into the depths of Orgrimmar.

The pair came across a worn down hut. Rennyn entered as if the two warlocks outside weren’t suspicious. Aureyn followed like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs.

“Jazzy!” A male troll looked up from his book on an alchemists table. His blue dreadlocks were mostly hung behind him but some had leaked over his shoulder. 

Upwards pointed tusks with minimal face paint rest on a somewhat happy looking troll.

“I thought we weren’t allowed to call you that anymore…?” Aureyn whispered under his breath towards the priest.

“Tanz.” The trolls smiled at each other and the mage went for a hug ignoring the sense of dread radiating from the priest hitting him. He embraced the unwilling participant in a warm hug.

As he pulled away he looked into Rennyn’s eyes, still holding him at arms length. The despair and anguish presented themselves to the mage instantly. 

“Aye, Vol’jin…” Tanzado nodded to himself and let go of the priest. His eyes wandered to the ground as he walked himself back to his table. 

“I be needin’ ya… expertise?” Rennyn let his hood hide his eyes from further evaluation.

“Where ya needin’ ta go?” Tanzado’s demeanor turned to giddy. 

“De Broken Shore…” The inflection Rennyn used made it sound like he wasn’t sure Tanzado could do it. The mage’s pride was slightly wounded but his eagerness to experiment overpowered it and he nodded.

“Why ya headed dere?” The mage fiddled with the book on the table.

Aureyn butted in out of nervousness and anger having been dragged away from the inn, “Would it surprise you to know it’s about Vol’jin?”

“Ah, he be important ta me as well even afta…” He trailed off for a moment and added, “Ya be needin’ more help?” 

Rennyn shook his head, “Who be portin’ ya if we did?” Tanzado nodded again. He grabbed a surprising amount of vibrantly colored vials with one hand and a book in the other. He handed a vial to Rennyn and two more to Aureyn.

“Please! Drink!” The roll of his “R” was haunting. The sound drained away all the faith Aureyn had in either of the trolls. 

Rennyn downed his vial no problem but Aureyn was reluctant, eying the two trolls as if they wronged him, “But why did you give Rennyn one and me two? And why are they all different colors? Are you seriously telling me that making portals isn’t an exact practice?”

“Dat’s exactly what it be! Practice…” Rennyn nodded like it was the most normal thing to be doing, drinking strange liquids in the cleft of shadows with a deranged mage. 

Aureyn reached up and grabbed Rennyn’s right ear only to pull it down hard to his level.

Aureyn dropped his voice down to a whisper, “I understand you’re grieving but this… this is too much. I won’t.” 

Rennyn hit the paladin’s hand away, “Vask!!” His anger was fleeting since all his emotions were hard to grasp, “I really be needin’ ya, please Aur? Trust me?” 

Aureyn sighed, “It’s not you I don’t trust…” He gestured with his head towards the mage.

“What be not ta trust!” Tanzado’s demeanor was unfazed by the blood elf’s lack of faith in him.

“Drink, den I be sendin’ ya’s off.” Both trolls looked at Aureyn expectantly. 

The paladin rolled his eyes and chugged both vials with great disgust written on his face.

“Now be standin’ dere an’ try not ta be shufflin’ ‘round.” Tanzado had gestured to a different area than where they were already standing, but it was further into the hut and Aureyn rather liked being near the door.

“Big t’anks Tanz.” Rennyn’s voice was sincere but still sad. Tanzado winked at the priest which did not instill confidence in Aureyn whatsoever. 

The mage started to chant from his book and gesture wildly with his hands, “Close ya eyes an’ if ya not be accustomed ta arcane energies den be keepin’ ‘em closed. No madda what.”


	3. 3

Chapter 3 of 3

The pair closed their eyes but it only made Aureyn’s stomach sink more. Wind swept up into their clothes and the blood elf’s hair. Rennyn’s body started to feel light like he cast levitate but it was more of an empty feeling. 

Vibrant pastel colors danced around the priest from what he could see behind his lids. Warm sensations began to bat playfully at his skin. It was a nice feeling, it reminded him of Vol’jin’s light playful touch. Soothing yet aggressive, especially if he wanted something.

Then stinging and pelting started to force the pair to wince. Aureyn shouted something but it was drowned out in the bilious sounds of energies crashing into each other.

A more ferocious wind started to brush past the pair as the terrifying sounds and dancing lights faded. 

“Can we open our eyes now? Please?!” Rennyn opened his eyes immediately to find himself suspended high above Azeroth. 

The islands he sought were directly below but there was a large amount of space behind him and ground. The blood elf was further down in the atmosphere than the priest was.

Rennyn tried to pull Aureyn back with a rope made of light. It connected to him, but the priest wasn’t ready for the weight it instantly bore. 

It slipped from his hands and faded into the air. Instincts forced him to try to cast levitate on the paladin but the distance between them was already too great. 

Levitate found its way to the priest instead. Rennyn’s eyes grew wide as his stomach clenched into a tighter knot than it already was. 

The troll bowed his head in prayer immediately and started begging the Light.

The ground felt like it was forever away but the longer it took him to get to there the more hope he convinced himself there might be. 

Thoughts of Aureyn’s demise crept into his head as he thought about how culpable for it he was. As the troll neared the ground he could see the paladin laying on flat ground. Rennyn landed and allowed his levitate to fade. 

Too worried to notice that no crater formed under the paladin. He rushed to the blood elf’s side but before he could rest a hand on the paladin, a harsh laugh erupted. The priest stood up immediately and walked away sighing. Aureyn got up clumsily, his gut paining him from his hilarious joke.

“Let’s jus’ be movin’.” The priest was already exhausted from grief, now worry made him even more weary. 

The blood elf patted the trolls shoulder, “The Light protects me Renny! You don’t have to worry so much.”

Rennyn’s face twitched with irritation, “Ja’da!” He turned around and got as close to Aureyn’s face as his tusks would allow, “What if it be my prayers de Light be answerin’?! What if de Light only protects ya faithless draks ‘cause o’ me? What if Vol’jin died ‘cause de Light was too busy protectin’ murka like ya!?” 

The priest turned away again and threw his arms up into the air in frustration. Then he brought them down and folded them.

Immediately there was tapping on his shoulder. The troll turned around in a hurried fashion letting an angry ‘what’ escape him. 

As his eyes wandered the direction Aureyn was pointing, his anger faded. Terror took over both of their faces as a mass of demons was heading towards them.

The priest started to form bubbles and shields around them while Aureyn readied his flashy two handed sword. A blue swirly portal appeared in the distance, behind loads of demons.

The first wave of demons kept the pair pretty busy; Aureyn slashing with his sword mostly in one hand and casting with the other, Rennyn dodging cleaves and retaliating with a forceful amount of holy magic. The paladin was trying to get a message to a very distracted troll.

Rennyn felt the blood elf’s hand on his shoulder pulling him hard backwards. The shouting was incomprehensible, Thalassian spoken quickly is just gibberish. A hideous axe crashed down where the troll has just been yanked from.

“Just find the tusk! We can’t do this forever!” Rennyn ducked under a swinging axe and started to run towards anything familiar. Unfortunately, nothing stood out. He replayed Vol’jin’s death in his head but the surrounding area was only darkness.

Aureyn was close behind keeping a mob of demons at bay. A whirlwind of light erupted from Aureyn and every surrounding demon fell to the ground. 

The blood elf stopped, a little stunned by what just happened but more confused by the lack of follow-up demons. He looked around for another few seconds, spotting a few intermittent patrols here and there.

“Renny… do you think they gave up?” The troll was sitting on his heels, checking the dirt around his feet as he nodded, “What dey be t’inkin’ in de first place? De two o’ us ain’t gettin’ very far in Sargeras’ tomb.” Aureyn started to argue with the troll who was no longer listening.

Another wave of demons was approaching. Another portal opened, closer this time. “Is Tanzado just opening portals in random places hoping for the best?!”

Rennyn recognized the golden tan ring wrapped around sandy colored white. He seized it with a gentle grip and reveled in the hope it restored. 

Aureyn ran up to the crouching troll, who he was convinced no longer cared about the dangers of where they were.

“Good, now we can leave.” Rennyn shook his head, “Nah, ritual first.” 

The blood elf was already stressed from fighting off demons, staying meant more stress, “No. No! There’s another wave of demons! Let’s get out of here and we’ll do whatever you want back in Org!”

The priest unsheathed the sacrificial dagger he carried on his hip and began chanting. Aureyn grabbed his arm and shook him, the troll stopped and looked at the paladin calmly.

“Ya gonna be performin’ last rites?” The blood elf’s brow crinkled and he couldn’t even find the empathy to speak. 

“It be quicker if ya would instead of standin’ dere cursin’.” Aureyn’s shear panic boiled over, “Not while I cover for you! For Light’s sake Renny, let’s leave!!” 

Rennyn stared at him for another while out of the corner of his eye. The blood elf sighed and readied his weapon again.

Rennyn rolled up his sleeves as he continued his chant. He dragged the blade across his own skin creating a gushing wound. He dragged it across his other arm and sheathed the dagger again. 

As he raised his arms above his head to finish his prayer, all ambient sound ceased. The sounds of blades and Aureyn’s huffed version of last rites stopped. The wind died down. His eyes opened slowly.

“Welcome ta de veil!” The priests eyes darted to the death loa. “B-Bwonsamdi?” The death god nodded. “It be an honor but I—,” Bwonsamdi raised a hand to silence Rennyn.

“Ya be needed by someone else.” Rennyn paused for a moment, “Vol’jin? I.. I know, I be tryin’ ta help but ya be interuptin’ by bringin’ me ‘ere.” Bwonsamdi shook his head.

“Nah, de farewell ya prepared won’t be workin’ ‘til ya cure what he be now.” Rennyn’s brow crinkled, “What?”

A large shadow formed instantly behind the loa and moved through him unfazed to latch onto Rennyn. The priest struggled and formed a ball of light in his fist but was enveloped in a blob of moving shadow. 

A few words came from the death loa and the shadow blob containing the priest dissipated as quick as it formed. Rennyn stared at the loa with a crinkled brow waiting for him to explain what in the hell just happened. The death loa smiled and dropped his voice to a whisper. 

“Jazahn… Ya filled ‘im wit’ doubt an’ regret. Dis half realm not be stable an’ he lost himself waitin’ for ya. He be needin’ ya help ta let go.”

Bwonsamdi spoke a few ancient Zandali words and waved a hand idly. The realm quivered and shook.

Shadows moved in all directions, sounding like a thousand tears in fabric being ripped. Shadows screamed and cried as they moved passed. 

The realm stopped moving abruptly and revealed a cluster of shadows slightly darker than the surrounding ones laced with a green light. 

The priest focused his eyes on the mass, it seemed to be moving but was so still. Rennyn looked at the death loa again, terrified. Bwonsamdi smiled and nudged him forwards.

The priest took a few hesitant steps towards the cluster of shadows, watching it carefully. The clump started to move rather erratically and the troll thought he saw the edge of a blade somewhere in the mess. 

It appeared to almost split a few times but remained one blob folding in on itself. A grunt here and there hinted that a fight might be happening. Half of the cluster faded into the ground and the green laced shadow formed in a small ball.

“Vol’jin?” Rennyn stopped a few meters away. The shadow cluster lunged towards him, expanding into the vague shape of a troll. 

The priest collapsed onto his back with the shadow straddling him. The form was hard to discern shapes in but those brilliant yellow eyes shone brightly through the haze.

The Warchief retracted his glaive from the priests neck, “Rennyn?” Shock echoed in his voice. Some color and full shape returned to Vol’jin as he backed off the priest.

“Ya can’t be ‘ere.” The shadow hunter sounded anxious as he stood up. 

The priest got to his feet as well, “I be ‘ere for ya.” The shadows that made up Vol’jin’s hair swayed back and forth, “It be a waste. I find my way outta ‘ere. I just ‘avta keep fightin’.”

“Please… forgive me but ya won’ get outta ‘ere. Unless it be wit’ Bwonsamdi.” Vol’jin turned with a wicked grin, “Not’ing can hold me.” 

The shadow hunter raised his glaive and jabbed it just passed Rennyn’s ear into a shadow blob. The priest froze and a poorly shaped hand threw him to the ground. 

The Warchief’s shape had mostly gone save for a few distinct ones like his weapon. A few more jabs at the blob and it collapsed into the ground.

A few more shadow blobs began to emerge from the ground surrounding the fel laced Warchief’s blob and a glowing priest. 

Vol’jin chanted a few words and made a quick waving gesture as he lunged at one of the blobs. Green laced tentacles popped out of the ground and stabbed through the other blobs while Vol’jin wrestled with his own.

Rennyn cast a smite spell on the remaining blob with Vol’jin still attached. As the smite hit the shadow hunter as well as the blob, his full shape returned to him. 

The realm shuttered and groaned, reflecting whatever emotion Vol’jin wanted. The priest grabbed his shadowy green-laced shoulder and spun him, immediately seizing his other shoulder.

“Ya ‘avta let go! Ya covered up enough scars. Ya mended enough bones. Ya gave more dan most. Ya don’ ‘avta fight anymore!”

More color returned to his spirit as he explored the priests eyes and the glowing light behind them. Rennyn had a thousand other things he wanted to talk to his Warchief about but saving his soul from drifting was the most important. 

Vol’jin had clung to this realm in hopes of manipulating it enough to affect the real world but the only reason for that was to ensure the safety of his family. 

Vol’jin thought the words over but giving up wasn’t in his nature. He tore away from the priest and faced his back towards him. The green piping his form bore grew larger.

“If ya be ‘ere for me, den fight wit’ me. Ya could be my guidin’ light.” Rennyn was already shaking his head, “No. Vol’jin, ya ‘avta let go now. Ya hold ‘ere won’ be lettin’ ya cross ova.” 

The realm shook again, but the shadow hunter remained still. Vol’jin turned his head towards the priest, “I don’t wanna cross ova. I not be done ‘ere.” Darker shadows overtook lighter ones and the haze grew heavier.

“Why?! Be done wit’ it! Let go! Cross ova! Dere’s not’ing else ya must do!” Rennyn’s role in being stern was unfamiliar. Being persuasive and strong, those were Vol’jin’s normal roles. The space stood eerily still and silent. 

“It not be de mountain dat causes me ta stumble but de pebbles in my path. I not be crossin’ de mountain unless I pick de pebbles from my feet.” 

Rennyn looked at Vol’jin in confusion, the shadows breathing shallow with the shadow hunter.

“Bwonsamdi said dat doubt an’ worry made ya like dis. Accept my help ta ease ya mind.” 

Vol’jin’s color began to return, “De tribe always come first. Dat meant de Horde as well. But you… De chance ta be tellin’ ya how ya make me feel neva came.”

Rennyn smiled and rested a hand on his Warchief’s shoulder. The priest whispered as he leaned in close, “It didn’t avta, I always knew.” 

Their eyes locked as Vol’jin turned instinctively. Rennyn threw himself into the shadow hunters chest. While Vol’jin was slower to accept the embrace eventually he squeezed the priest tightly.

“All I be wantin’—needin’… be for ya ta stay a lil longa but ya spirit needs to go wit’ Bwonsamdi. I be starvin’ for ya love but…”

The green on Vol’jin’s form faded entirely as he felt the depths of anguish in the priest through his body. Sympathy was starting to overpower his guarded thoughts.

“Ya be willin’ to let go for de health of my spirit…” Rennyn pulled away and nodded, avoiding eye contact with the spirit that had now almost returned to full color.

“Endure. True. Fierce…” The priest lifted his head slowly, the slight difference in their heights made more obvious now by how small he felt. 

They had shared their separate experiences from First Home no matter how blurry or silly the memories seemed. Three words stuck with Vol’jin even if the rest of it felt like a dream, three words he based the rest of his life around. 

Rennyn knew the words would bring the Warchief’s mind back to a reasonable place.

“Ya endured everyt’ing an’ had freedom ya whole life. Ya honesty aided in ya strength and ya built de strongest weapon dere be. Now… ya cowardice be forcin’ ya ta latch onta dis realm ‘cause ya be too scared ta let friends be wit’outchya. Ferocity be havin’ de courage ta admit ya ‘av no more control and ta aide udda’s in siezin’ dat control.”

Vol’jin’s eyes remained locked with the priests but he could see the shadow hunter working through the words in his head. 

Pride turned to happiness then faded into fear. Fear lingered in the Warchief’s eyes a little longer and then finally gave way to acceptance.

“Ya take care of Darkspear for me? Ya keep de spirits close ta ya heart? Ya watch Windrunner grow and learn?” Vol’jin’s color fully returned to him and the realm became light lavender.

All the shadows ceased moving and the background scenery turned into Vol’jin’s hut in Durotar after the Darkspear joined the Horde.

The priest hadn’t even noticed the view change, too deep in a cloud of dazzling yellow eyes. He nodded, “It be all Darkspear responsibility ta take care of each udda. If ya be joinin’ de udda spirits, den I be keepin’ dem close ta my heart.” 

They continued to explore the depths of each other’s eyes, knowing this would be the last time they could do so. Now Vol’jin had most of his reluctance to letting go dispelled by the reminder of how Darkspear endure together, his core felt lighter.

The shadow hunter waited and watched for an answer to the third question. The guarantee of his ideals in the family he chose, hanging on the priests answer.

“I won’ serve Windrunner, but I won’ abandon de Horde either. Ferocity also be acceptin’ some uncertainty wit’ movin’ forward.” Vol’jin nodded reluctantly. 

Rennyn sighed and let a smile strain his lips on his tusks, “A piece of ya spirit be stuck in mine. I won’ eva be gettin’ ya laugh or ya heartbeat outta my head.” The shadow hunter reflected the bittersweet smile, “Darkspear neva die.”

Rennyn jolted back into his own reality listening to Aureyn huff and puff about demons. The priest never forgot where he left off in his ritual, and carried on his chanting. 

A pale blue portal appeared a few meters off the ground. Aureyn jumped desperately, attempting to grasp it. 

Rennyn waved his hands around a little more as he finished chanting his prayer. Then he held the tusk in an open palm towards the wind. 

The half of a tusk blew away as dust leaving the bronze ring that was once wrapped around it in Rennyn’s hand. It felt warm yet cold somehow. 

As he explored the worn markings of time on it, he felt a pull beneath his skin. An urge to keep the ring as a reminder to keep fighting but to let go when the time is right. 

“Can we please get out of here now?” Rennyn nodded at the blood elf as he slid the bronze ring into the hole in his ear. 

Aureyn pointed towards the portal, “How does that deranged troll expect us to take that?” The priest sighed as he moved underneath the portal.

“Stand on me shoulders.” Rennyn offered a hand to help the paladin up. The blood elf stood on the trolls shoulders and once he got a hand in the portal, it practically sucked him through. 

Rennyn stood there and watched the portal close, whispering prayers to himself waiting for the next one to appear as demons approached his position.

A blue swirl opened on the ground underneath the priest and he fell back to the Cleft of Shadows.


End file.
